Charging system

ABSTRACT

A wall ( 103  in FIG.  1 ) is erected perpendicularly to a floor ( 101 ), and a charger body ( 105 ) in which a primary side coil ( 201 ) and a power feed portion ( 203 ) are included is mounted on the wall ( 103 ). An induction core ( 107 ) stretches in the shape of a hook from the charger body ( 105 ), and it penetrates through the primary side coil ( 201 ) inside the charger body ( 105 ). The induction core ( 107 ) can suspend a portable telephone ( 109 ) and another portable equipment ( 111 ) through charging arches ( 113 ).

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to a charging system, and moreparticularly to a charging system for portable equipment.

[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art

[0004] A state where a portable telephone is being charged by aprior-art contactless charging system based on electromagneticinduction, is shown in FIG. 3. The portable telephone 1 includes asecondary side coil 2, while a charger 3 includes a primary side coil 7.A user sets the portable telephone 1 on the charger 3 as shown in thefigure and charges it for a predetermined time period when the remainingbattery capacity of the portable telephone 1 has become small, or whenthe portable telephone 1 is not used for a long time.

[0005] With the prior-art charging system as shown in FIG. 3, however,there is a spacing 5 between the primary side coil 7 and the secondaryside coil 2, and induction cores 6 are kept apart, so that problems asmentioned below have been involved:

[0006] 1. Since both the portable equipment and the charger need toinclude the cores made of a magnetic material such as metal, the weightand size of the portable equipment are increased.

[0007] 2. Since the primary side coil and the secondary side coil areseparate, even a very small deviation in the relative position betweenthe coils exerts influence on a charging efficiency.

[0008] 3. When a coin or an accessory article is accidentally held inthe charger, a metal generates heat due to an induction current andforms the cause of a fire.

[0009] 4. Since the charger is designed in adaptation to the geometriesof the portable equipment, no charger can cope with a plurality of sortsof portable equipment.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0010] The present invention has for its object to provide a chargingsystem which solves the problems mentioned above, and which can copewith various sorts of portable equipment and can attain a stablecharging efficiency.

[0011] According to the present invention, in order to accomplish theobject, a charging system of claim 1 is characterized by comprising acharging device which includes an induction core penetrating through aprimary side coil, and a portable equipment which includes an insertionportion containing a secondary side coil and allowing said inductioncore to pass therethrough.

[0012] Besides, a charging device of claim 2 is a charging device for acharging system having the charging device which includes an inductioncore penetrating through a primary side coil, and a portable equipmentwhich includes an insertion portion containing a secondary side coil andallowing the induction core to pass therethrough, and it ischaracterized by comprising said primary side coil, and a power feedportion.

[0013] In addition, a portable equipment of claim 3 is characterized bycomprising an insertion portion through which an induction core of acharging device as penetrates through a primary side coil thereof isallowed to pass, and in which a secondary side coil for performingcharging is contained.

[0014] Still in addition, a charging system of claim 4 is characterizedby comprising a charging device which includes a hook-shaped inductioncore penetrating through a primary side coil, and a portable equipmentwhich includes a charging arch containing a secondary side coil andallowed to be suspensibly attached to said induction core.

[0015] Yet in addition, a charging device of claim 5 is a chargingdevice for a charging system having the charging device which includes ahook-shaped induction core penetrating through a primary side coil, anda portable equipment which includes a charging arch containing asecondary side coil and allowed to be suspensibly attached to theinduction core, and it is characterized by comprising a power feedportion, said primary side coil, and said hook-shaped induction core.

[0016] Further, a portable equipment of claim 6 is characterized bycomprising a charging arch which is allowed to be suspensibly attachedto a hook-shaped induction core of a charging device as penetratesthrough a primary side coil thereof and which is provided at an end partof a body of the portable equipment, and a secondary side coil whichserves to perform charging and which is contained in an annular spacedefined by said charging arch and a part under said arch.

[0017] Still further, a charging method of claim 7 is a charging methodfor a portable equipment employing the charging system of claim 1,characterized by comprising the step of installing said charging device;the step of passing said induction core through said insertion portion;and the step of holding said insertion portion and said induction coreset for a predetermined time period.

[0018] Yet further, a charging method of claim 8 is a charging methodfor a portable equipment employing the charging system of claim 4,characterized by comprising the step of fixing said charging device ontoa plane perpendicular to the ground; the step of passing said inductioncore through said charging arch; and the step of holding said portableequipment suspensibly attached to said induction core for apredetermined time period.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019]FIG. 1 is a view showing the state of the use of a charging systemaccording to the present invention;

[0020]FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of the interior of the charging systemaccording to the present invention; and

[0021]FIG. 3 is a view showing the state of the charging of a portabletelephone in the prior art.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0022] Now, an embodiment of the present invention will be described indetail with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.

[0023]FIG. 1 is a view showing a state where a charging system in theembodiment of the present invention is used, while FIG. 2 is an enlargedview of the interior of the charging system in the embodiment of thepresent invention.

[0024] As shown in FIG. 1, a wall 103 is erected perpendicularly to afloor 101 (the ground), and a charger body 105 in which a primary sidecoil 201 and a power feed portion 203 (shown in FIG. 2) are included isattached to the wall 103. An induction core 107 stretches in the shapeof a hook from the charger body 105, and penetrates through the primaryside coil 201 inside the charger body 105. The induction core 107stretching from the charger body 105 can suspend a portable telephone109 and another portable equipment 111 through charging arches 113.Here, the charger body 105 includes a fixation member for fixing thisbody to the wall 103. The portable telephone 109 and the other portableequipment 111 are suspended from the induction core 107 as shown in FIG.1 for a predetermined time period, whereby batteries built in theequipment 109 and 111 can be charged.

[0025] The interior of the portable telephone 109 in FIG. 1, as well asa charging device (211), is shown as an enlarged view in FIG. 2. Asecondary side coil 205 is disposed on the side of the portabletelephone 109, and it is connected with a rechargeable battery (thebuilt-in battery) 207. The induction core 107 penetrates through thesecondary side coil 205 as shown in FIG. 2. From this fact, it isunderstood that the secondary side coil 205 exists in an annular spacewhich is defined by the charging arch 113 shown in FIG. 1 and a partunder this arch 113.

[0026] On the other hand, a dotted line 211 indicates part of thecharging device which is included inside the charger body 105 in FIG. 1.The primary side coil 201 is connected with the power feed portion 203,and the induction core 107 is mounted so as to penetrate through theprimary side coil 201. When an AC voltage is applied from the power feedportion 203 in this state, a magnetic flux is generated in the inductioncore 107, and a voltage is induced across the secondary side coil 205 bythe action of electromagnetic induction, so that the charging of thebattery 207 is initiated.

[0027] While the embodiment of the present invention has been describedabove, advantages listed below are brought forth by the presentinvention:

[0028] 1. The portable equipment can be made smaller in size and lighterin weight.

[0029] 2. Since the induction core extends from the primary side coilover to the secondary side coil, a stable charging efficiency can beattained by hanging the portable equipment on the charging hook.

[0030] 3. It is not apprehended by way of example that a small metalpiece will accidentally enter the cradle portion of a charger, therebyto cause a fire.

[0031] 4. The single charger can cope with the plurality of sorts ofportable equipment, and can also charge a plurality of portableequipment simultaneously.

[0032] 5. The charger is suited to the attachment on a wall surface, andthe required space of the charging system can be saved.

[0033] 6. A charging connection portion need not be provided unlike inconventional charging which employs electric contacts. Therefore, it isfacilitated to endow the portable equipment with a water-proofstructure, and troubles such as the corrosion of the charging connectionportion can be avoided.

[0034] Incidentally, the foregoing embodiment of the present inventionhas been described on the case of performing the charging in the statein which the charging arch provided on the side of the portableequipment is suspensibly attached to the hook-shaped induction corestretching from the charger body. However, charging may well beperformed in such a way that a charger body is installed (or buried)with an induction core stretching perpendicularly from the ground (suchas a floor), and that an insertion portion containing a secondary sidecoil is set so as to pass the induction core therethrough, whereuponboth the members (the induction core and the insertion portion) are heldset for a predetermined time period.

[0035] Besides, the foregoing embodiment of the present invention hasbeen described on the case of mounting the charger body outside thewall, but it is obvious that the charger body may well be mounted insidethe wall.

[0036] In addition, the foregoing embodiment of the present inventionhas been described as including the primary side coil, the power feedportion and the induction core as the constituent elements of thecharging device, but it is obvious that any other constituent elementmay well be included in the charging device.

[0037] Yet in addition, the foregoing embodiment of the presentinvention has been described on the case of mounting the charging deviceon the wall in a building, the charging device may be mounted, not onlyin the building, but also in an automobile by way of example.

[0038] In this manner, according to the present invention, a chargingsystem capable of coping with various sorts of portable equipment andattaining a stable charging efficiency can be provided.

What is claimed is:
 1. A charging system comprising a charging devicewhich includes an induction core penetrating through a primary sidecoil, and a portable equipment which includes an insertion portioncontaining a secondary side coil and allowing said induction core topass therethrough.
 2. A charging device for a charging system having thecharging device which includes an induction core penetrating through aprimary side coil, and a portable equipment which includes an insertionportion containing a secondary side coil and allowing the induction coreto pass therethrough, comprising said primary side coil, and a powerfeed portion.
 3. A portable equipment comprising an insertion portionthrough which an induction core of a charging device as penetratesthrough a primary side coil thereof is allowed to pass, and in which asecondary side coil for performing charging is contained.
 4. A chargingsystem comprising a charging device which includes a hook-shapedinduction core penetrating through a primary side coil, and a portableequipment which includes a charging arch containing a secondary sidecoil and allowed to be suspensibly attached to said induction core.
 5. Acharging device for a charging system having the charging device whichincludes a hook-shaped induction core penetrating through a primary sidecoil, and a portable equipment which includes a charging arch containinga secondary side coil and allowed to be suspensibly attached to theinduction core, comprising a power feed portion, said primary side coil,and said hook-shaped induction core.
 6. A portable equipment comprisinga charging arch which is allowed to be suspensibly attached to ahook-shaped induction core of a charging device as penetrates through aprimary side coil thereof and which is provided at an end part of a bodyof the portable equipment, and a secondary side coil which serves toperform charging and which is contained in an annular space defined bysaid charging arch and a part under said arch.
 7. A charging method fora portable equipment employing the charging system as defined in claim1, comprising: the step of installing said charging device; the step ofpassing said induction core through said insertion portion; and the stepof holding said insertion portion and said induction core set for apredetermined time period.
 8. A charging method for a portable equipmentemploying the charging system as defined in claim 4, comprising: thestep of fixing said charging device onto a plane perpendicular to theground; the step of passing said induction core through said chargingarch; and the step of holding said portable equipment suspensiblyattached to said induction core for a predetermined time period.